Origin and Habitat: Mammillaria prolifera subs. multiceps is found in the extreme southern texas and Mexico all along the Rio Grande from its mouth to the mouth of the Pecos River, extending north along the Gulf Coast of Texas to near Rockport, but growing only in a narrow band of coastal plain extending not over a few miles from the beach. Habitat and Ecology: In Texas this cactus grows in two widely differing habitats. It grows in or near the Rio Grande Valley in submontane scrub, usually in rich, deep, lowland soil where it seems to prefer the shelter of thickets, or else between the clumps of coastal grasses on the low, flat coastal plain almost within sight of the Gulf. It is quite inconspicuous but has a very large extent of occurrence and is abundant. Although there are threats in places (habitat destruction through logging), they are not sufficient to warrant any concern.

Description:Mammillaria prolifera subs. multiceps is a small, spherical to egg-shaped cactus attaining a height of approximately 6 cm. It is easily recognized by the flexible, hairlike, radial spines that cover its surface. It blooms freely for many weeks at a time in spring, and for months after that its brilliant, scarlet fruits will be popping out to decorate it. Flowers are small and not highly coloured, dirty yellow or almost tan.Taxonomy: This particular little cactus of Texas and northern Mexico was first described by Prince Salm-Dyck in 1850, and he called it Mammillaria multiceps. It would have seemed that it could have had a history unconfused by name troubles. There seem to be two rather distinct growth forms of it in Texas (also called Mammillaria prolifera subs. texana) and northern Mexico. The two forms seem identical except that one of them has the outer parts of the centrals dark brown, red-brown, or black (mainly from coastal and Valley habitat in Mexico), while the other has the centrals all whitish or else translucent, honey-yellow (mainly from the summits of the high hills in the Texas). Plants of these two different colourings seen side by side are conspicuously different, and the difference has been noticed by several authors. However the two forms grow together on the same hillsides, in a few cases (for example the two forms grow together in Potrero Canyon in the Santa Rosa Mountains of Coahuila, Mexico), so these two cannot be separated. They appear to be merely growth forms, perhaps simple phenotypes of the same variable population. (Weniger 1969). Habit: It is a low growing cactus, commonly branching to form colonies or cushion. Even though it sometimes produces clumps up to more than 30 cm in diameter, it is always an inconspicuous cactus.Stems: The individual stems dark green, globose, cylindric or club shaped to to 5 cm high, 1-5 cm in diameter, of soft texture. The main stem off-sets extremely rapidly so that a typical plant consists of a dozen to more than a score of different-sized heads forming a large, low, matlike clump.Tubercles: Cylindrical to conic, about 8-12 mm long, spreading, without latex, Axils of tubercles with several long, hair-like bristles.Areoles: Dimorphic. The spiny portion on the tip of the tubercle is round, with white wool at first, later naked. The floral or vegetative portion in the axil of the tubercle produces with the flower some wool and usually several long, twisted, white, hairlike bristles which persist.Radial spines: 30-60 (sometimes op to 80), hair-like in several series, often intergrading with the centrals, straight or twisted, white to yellow, 3-12 mm long. Central spines: 4 to 12, needle-like, comparatively heavy with bulbous bases, 4-9 mm long, much stouter than the radials, straight, white to yellow to reddish, with darker tips, usually somewhat pubescent, and spreading in all directions.Flowers: 10-25 mm long, borne in old axils but toward top of plant, small, brownish-yellow or almost tan, with pinkish to mauve-rose streaks. The petals have cream or can edges shading into pinkish or dull rose midlines. Inner perianth-segments usually un-fringed erect, pale yellow, with brownish mid-rib, acute, outer ones may occasionally have a few cilia on their edges. Filaments yellowish or white; anthers yellow at first deflexed inward; style shorter than filaments. Style cream-colored and short, stigma-lobes 3-8, cream-colored to yellow.Fruit: A many-seeded, egg-shaped to club-shaped, scarlet berry crowned by persistent withering perianth, somewhat curved, 12 to 18 mm long.**Seeds:*** Black, pitted, about 1.5 mm long, a little depressed; aril white, triangular.

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Mammillaria prolifera group

Mammillaria prolifera(Mill.) Haw.: (subsp. prolifera) has stems 6-7 cm in diameter, cream to pinkish yellow flowers and yellow spines. Distribution: throughout much of the Caribbean.

Mammillaria prolifera subs. haitiensis(K.Schum.) D.R.Hunt: has stems to 7 cm in diameter, cream-white-yellow flowers and more spines than the type species, giving it a more whitish appearance. Distribution: endemic of Hispaniola.

Cultivation and Propagation: Mammillaria prolifera is a freely clustering species that reproduces easily by cutting, recommended for any collection that needs lots of light with ample airflow. Given the kind of care used on any but the desert forms of cacti, even in a small pot, this little cactus will grow and proliferate its small heads into an interesting cluster.Growth rate: It is a small growing, but easily flowering species. It offset from the base and can fill a 25 cm pot in just a few years given the best conditions. Soils: It likes very porous standard cactus mix soil with little organic matter (peat, humus). Repotting: Repotting every 2-3 years. It will need a pot with sufficient depth to allow the tap root. As it is especially prone to rot under-pot in a smaller container filled with very porous compost. Use pot with good drainage.Watering: Water regularly in summer, but do not overwater (very wet-sensitively, especially in light of its succulent root system). Its roots are easily lost in pots that stay damp for any length of time. Keep dry with ample airflow in winter. In the rest period no high atmospheric humidity!! Care must be taken with watering as they tends to become swollen and untidy in growth habit if given too much water and shade.Fertilization: During the growing season enrich the soil using a fertilizer rich in potassium and phosphorous, but poor in nitrogen, because this chemical element doesn’t help the development of succulent plants, making them too soft and full of water.Hardiness: Reputedly sensitive to frost , but less so if kept on the dry side prior to, and during, cold weather (hardy to -5° C for short periods). However some warmth throughout the year will increase the grower's success (minimum 5° to 8°C during rest season). Exposition: Outside bright sun, filtered sunlight or afternoon shade, inside it needs bright light, and some direct sun. Subject to sunburn if exposed to direct sun for too long. Tends to bronze in strong light, which encourages flowering and heavy wool and spine production. Uses: It is an excellent plant for container growing. It always looks good and stays small. It look fine in a cold greenhouse and frame.Pests & diseases: It may be attractive to a variety of insects, but plants in good condition should be nearly pest-free, particularly if they are grown in a mineral potting-mix, with good exposure and ventilation. Nonetheless, there are several pests to watch for: - Red spiders: Sensitive to red spider mite. Overhead watering is helpful in controlling mites. - Mealy bugs: Occasionally mealy bugs they develop aerial into the new growth among the wool with disfiguring results, but the worst types develop underground on the roots and are invisible except by their effects. - Scales: Scales are rarely a problem. - Rot: Rot it is only a minor problem with cacti if the plants are watered and “aired” correctly. If they are not, fungicides won't help all that much.Propagation: Direct sow after last frost or (usually) cuttings. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21-27° C in spring, remove the glass cover gradually as the plants develops and keep ventilated, no full sun for young plants! The seedlings should not be disturbed until they are well rooted, after which they can be planted separately in small pots. Cuttings: wait until the offsets that appear at the base of old clustered specimens are 1/3 the size of the parent and then detach and plant. Cuttings will take root in a minimum temperature of 20° C (but better in hot weather). Cuttings of healthy shoots can be taken in the spring and summer. Cut the stem with a sharp, sterile knife, leave the cutting in a warm, dry place for a week or weeks (depending on how thick the cutting is) until a callus forms over the wound. Once the callus forms, the cutting may be inserted in a container filled with firmed cactus potting mix topped with a surface layer of coarse grit. They should be placed in the coarse grit only; this prevents the cut end from becoming too wet and allows the roots to penetrate the rich compost underneath. The cuttings should root in 2 to 6 weeks.